The
animals which are listed under the category of
Threatened Species are
• Indian Wild Ass
• Leopard
• Red Fox

Charismatic
mega-vertebrates,
including elephants, rhinos and tigers all face
dwindling habitat and conflict with humans but
they are not they only mammals for whom extinction
is a real threat. Bats, shrews, squirrels and
civets are among the critically endangered species
found in India. As actual population counts or
estimates are not easily available for many of
these species, this list will incorporate all
7 critically endangered species and 3 of the endangered
species whose numbers are dropping, two which
are endemic to islands and one threatened by invasive
alien species.

There is one rhinoceros listed among India’s
endangered species. Sadly, the Sumatran rhino
is considered likely to be extinct within India,
even as its numbers drop elsewhere in the world.

Smaller species dominate the critically endangered
list.

Most people have never heard of the Salim Ali’s
fruit Bat (Latidens salimalii) or the Wroughton’s
free-tailed bat (Otomops wroughtoni). Both of
these bat species have lower populations than
the Indian one-horned rhino or the Bengal tiger.
Habitat loss/degradation placed the Wroughton’s
at critically endangered in 2000 according to
the IUCN.

One other tiny
mammal, the Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus
biswasi) is also critically endangered. Existing
in a single location, habitat loss could easily
spell the end for this species.

A bit larger but
no more well known is the Malabar large spotted
civet (Viverra civettina) found in the Western
Ghats and considered critically endangered since
1996. With less than 250 mature animals these
small cats are being pushed out as deforestation
claims cashew plantations which are replaced
with rubber trees.

The pygmy hog (Sus salvanius) also made the
critically endangered list in 1999. It is found
only in Assam where the population is estimated
at less than 200 animals. Hunting is an added
pressure on top of habitat loss for this species.

Asiatic Black Bear

Asiatic Lion

Desert Cat

The
banteng (Bos javanicus) made the endangered species
list in 2000 and its numbers continue to fall.
A wild cattle species, it is threatened by introduced
bovines which compete for food. The introduced
species also interbreed with these native and
the banteng are hunted for their horns.

Great Indian
Rhinoceros

Royal Bengal Tiger

Halting habitat loss
or degradation will be the key to saving all these
endangered species. The charismatic mega-vertebrates
have served to raise awareness of these issues.
And while listing species as endangered helps
to bring focus to the threats to wildlife, the
foremost consideration will need to become protecting
wild areas that support a variety of species,
especially ones that aren’t so well known.